Refrigerator cabinet



.Fufiy 9, 1946. E. D. DRAKE 2,43,58

REFRIGERATOR CABINET Filed Dec. 25, 19.44 2 Sheets-Sheet l F 1 Kg INVENTOR.

EAPL D. [DP/IKE BY 1 J' 'July9,1946. I E, D RAKE 2,403,588

REFRIGERATOR CABINET Filed Dec. 25, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I E 4 INVENTOR.

5/4/91 0 UPAKZ BY (Zak/1,441

Patented July 9, 1946 REFRIGERATOR CABINET Earl D. Drake, Greenville, Micln, assignor to Gibson Refrigerator Company, Greenville, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application December 23, 1944, Serial No. 569,454

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to shelves and shelf guides,-. articularly for refrigerators, but not nec essarily limited thereto.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a shelf guide of simple and economical construction which can be readily installed and removed from a cabinet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shelf guide of ornamental appearance.

A still further object is to provide a shelf guide constructed so as to completely conceal the fastening means which attach the guide to the cabinet wall.

A still further object is to provide a novel ornamental molding for embellishing the front ends of the shelf guides.

These objects will more fully appear in the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is avertical cross-sectional view of a refrigerator cabinet embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line '2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary pictorial view of a portion of the cabinet wall and shelf guide showing the manner of attachment of the ornamental molding thereto; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary pictorial view of the shelf guide taken from the back thereof.

The drawings illustrate a refrigerator cabinet I having a sliding shelf l I mounted upon a longitudinally extending guide l2. shown in Figure 1. Another identical guide is required to support the shelf II. The shelf Il may be of any suitable construction, but preferably is a glass plate mounted on a suitable metallic or lastic frame l3. While but one shelf II is shown, it will be understood that others may be employed and supported by similar guides l2.

The refrigerator cabinet is of substantially conventional design, It includes an outer casing l4 and a liner 15 located within the outer casing and spaced therefrom. The liner is composed of upright side walls IS, a top wall H, a bottom wall [8, and a rear wall I9. Insulation 2:: is placed between the outer casing and the liner to minimize heat losses. The front of the cabinet is closed by a conventional door indicated in broken lines by numeral 9.

The two guides l2 are of identical construction but are oppositely arranged on the two side walls l6. Only one guide and its manner of attachment will be described. Each guide is of generally L-shaped configuration having a horizontal Only one guide is generally tubular, as will be apparent from Figures 2 to 4. The back of the tubular leg 22 is provided with a longitudinal slot 23 defined by two parallel substantially coplanar flanges Zll and 25. The slot 23 extends completely through the vertical leg 22 from end to end thereof.

The guides I? are attached to the side walls It of the cabinet by suitable fastening elements 26. These may be conventional machine screws, such as are shown in the drawings. The fasteners 26 are provided with heads 21 which are located within the hollow tubular portion. of the guide. The heads 21 are large enough to overlie the inner surfaces of the two adjoining flanges 24 and '25. The fasteners 26 are held in place on the side wall 16 by any suitable resilient; means. In the .present instance the resilient means: are resilient speed nuts 28. The nuts are tightened to the point where they resiliently bias the heads of the fasteners against the inner faces of the flanges 24 and 25 and thereby pull the latter snugly against the inner surface of the side wall Hi. It will be evident, of course, that other resilient devices may be employed to pull the heads of the fasteners against the flanges 24 and 25 and thereby resiliently clamp the same against the side wall of the cabinet.

It will be noted from Figure 3 especially that when the shelf guide 12 is attached to the cabinet side wall the fastening devices are completely concealed. However, the front ends of the guides present a raw and crude appearance, hence an ornamental molding 29 is provided. This molding may take any convenient form, but is preferably suitably embellished with beading 30 or some similar ornamentation. Extending from the rear face of the molding 29 is a plug 3| which is of substantially the same exterior shape as the interior cross-section of the hollow upright leg 22 of the shelf guide. Thus, when the guide 12 is mounted on the cabinet wall [6 the plug 3| can be inserted into the open end of the tubular leg of the guide and held therein by frictional engagement. When that is done the guide presents a complete and attractive appearance.

It will be evident that this invention presents a number of advantages. Frequently the holes in the side walls adapted to receive a fastening means are not arranged exactly the same distance apart on a number of different cabinet liners. Thus, if ordinary fastening devices were used for conventional shelf guides it would be difficult to insert the fastener in the respective openings. In the present instance, however, the

leg 2| and a vertical leg 22, The vertical leg is 66 fasteners can be moved longitudinally in the slot shelf guides can be attached by insertin the rear ends of the flanges 24 and 25 beneath the head of the front fastener and forcing the guide rearwardly. The same procedure is followed as successive fasteners are encountered. Due to the resiliency of the nuts 28, such sliding movement of the shelf guides is possible. The shelf guides can be readily removed also, if desired, by

tening means attaching said shelf support to said wall, said fastening means comprising a fastener having a head in said hollow portion and a shank extending outwardly through said slot and secured to said wall, the head of said fastener resiliently engaging the inner surfaces of said flanges.

2. In a cabinet having a shelf support as defined by claim I, wherein said tubular portion is open at one end and an ornamental molding is provided for sealing said open front end, said molding havin a rearwardly extending plug thereon adapted to fit snugly within said tubular guide to frictionally hold the molding on said guide.

3. In a cabinet having an upright wall, a shelf guide mounted thereon for slidably supporting a shelf, said guide comprising an elongated member of L-shaped cross-section having a vertical reversing this procedure and can be readily reinserted when desired.

When the guides are in place and the ornamental moldings 29 are inserted, the fastening means are completely concealed. Thus, the guides can be suitably ornamented to harmonize with the interior of the cabinet without consideration to the fastening means. The appearance of the entire cabinet is thus made exceedingly attractive.

The scope of the invention is indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a cabinet, an upright wall, a horizontally elongated shelf support comprising a generally tubular attaching portion having a longitudinal slot therein defined by parallel substantially c0- planar flanges juxtaposed to said wall, and fasleg attached to said side wall, said vertical leg being hollow to receive the heads of headed fastening elements and having an elongated slot in the side of said vertical leg adjacent said side wall through which said fastening elements extend, said fastening elements being slidable in said slot.

4. In a cabinet, an upright wall, a horizontally elongated shelf support comprising a generally tubular attaching portion having a longitudinal slot therein defined by flanges having parallel edges, said flanges being juxtaposed to said wall, and fastening means attaching said shelf support to said wall, said fastening means comprising a fastener having a head in said hollow portion and a shank extending outwardly through said slot and secured to said wall.

EARL D. DRAKE. 

